Premium Essay

9/11 Bombing In London

Submitted By
Words 788
Pages 4
In London, at 8.50am on Thursday 7 July, three bombs exploded simultaneously, destroying sections of three different London Underground trains. One was detonated just outside Liverpool Street station, the other outside Edgware Road and the third between Kings Cross and Russell Square. Around an hour later at 9.50am there was an explosion on the top level of a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square near Kings Cross, caused by a similar device to the ones used on the underground.

The explosions left 52 innocent people dead and over 700 injured. Chaos erupted across the capital, echoing the horrific terrorist attacks faced by New York four years before, on 11 September 2001. The worst bombing in London since WWII, it brought the city’s public …show more content…
Passengers on the Piccadilly line train between King’s Cross to Russell Square who were able to walk felt their way in the darkness down the length of the tunnel back to ground level. Confusion and shock struck London on this summer morning with the three separate incidents initially being blamed on train collisions, electrical failures and power surges. The following day the Metropolitan Police stated that it could not be ruled out that the attacks were “the result of suicide bombings”.

The bombers were later confirmed to be Muslim extremists. 30 year old Mohammad Sidique Khan, 24 year old Shehzad Tanweer, 19 year old Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain the bus bomber was only 18 years old. Following the events of 7/7 all four bombers were found to be British citizens said to be leading normal every day lives, including Khan who was a respected teaching assistant in his native Beeston, Leeds.

Two of the bombers also resided in North Yorkshire near to where the organic peroxide based devices were later found to have been constructed. On 12 July police discovered much of the bombing equipment still in tact in a rented flat in the Hyde Park area of …show more content…
The investigation into the bombings found that both Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer had previously spent several months in Pakistan where it is very likely that they were in contact with Al-Qaeda and went through extensive extremist training.

In September 2005 the television station Al-Jazeera broadcasted Mohammad Sidique Khan speaking in a pre-recorded video message, revealing his motives for becoming a “soldier” – “Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight”.

The 7/7 bombings were subsequently linked with the attempted bombings of 21 July 2005. Only two weeks after the initial attacks, failed devices were found in similar locations; one on a double-decker bus and three others on trains on the London Underground. There was some speculation that the attacks on 21 July were the work of the same Islamist cell, although another theory is that the would-be bombers were simply copycats.

When the verdict of the inquests into 7/7 was released in May 2011, it was welcomed by the victims’ families, but some said that they still feel there should be a full inquiry into the bombings. Despite the fact the Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, promised that all evidence would be published, this has yet to

Similar Documents

Free Essay

History

...In the years following the September 11 attacks, 33 terrorist incidents have occurred on U.S. soil. The U.K. has experienced 190, and Israel has reported numbers in the thousands (National Counterterrorism Center, 2011). Resource: National Counterterrorism Center. (2011). 2010 report on terrorism. Retrieved from http://www.nctc.gov/witsbanner/docs/2010_report_on_terrorism.pdf Review the incidents from this list of significant terrorist activities here and abroad. You can research these for a fuller understanding of how terrorism has affected the United States in the last decade. • 2002: Failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli jetliner in Kenya • 2002: Attack of French tanker off coast of Yemen • 2002: Shooting at Los Angeles International Airport by Hesham Mohamen Ali Heayat results in the deaths of two people • 2002: Bombing of nightclub in Bali, Indonesia • 2003: Car bombing of JW Marriot hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia • 2004: Commuter train bombings in Madrid, Spain • 2004: Attack of Western oil companies and housing compounds in Al Khobar, Saudia Arabia, results in death of 22 people • 2004: Armed assailants breached U.S. consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, resulting in 5 deaths • 2005: Bombings of London underground trains and bus Dec 16 200 HIS/135 Version 4 11 • 2005: American citizen Michael Reynolds in Pocatello, Idaho, offers to assist al-Qaida in acts of terrorism by planning attacks and describing bomb making techniques • 2007: IED explosions at restaurant...

Words: 413 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

History 135 Final

...In the years following the September 11 attacks, 33 terrorist incidents have occurred on U.S. soil. The U.K. has experienced 190, and Israel has reported numbers in the thousands (National Counterterrorism Center, 2011). Resource: National Counterterrorism Center. (2011). 2010 report on terrorism. Retrieved from http://www.nctc.gov/witsbanner/docs/2010_report_on_terrorism.pdf Review the incidents from this list of significant terrorist activities here and abroad. You can research these for a fuller understanding of how terrorism has affected the United States in the last decade. * * 2002: Failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli jetliner in Kenya * 2002: Attack of French tanker off coast of Yemen * 2002: Shooting at Los Angeles International Airport by Hesham Mohamen Ali Heayat results in the deaths of two people * 2002: Bombing of nightclub in Bali, Indonesia * 2003: Car bombing of JW Marriot hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia * 2004: Commuter train bombings in Madrid, Spain * 2004: Attack of Western oil companies and housing compounds in Al Khobar, Saudia Arabia, results in death of 22 people * 2004: Armed assailants breached U.S. consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, resulting in 5 deaths * 2005: Bombings of London underground trains and bus * 2005: American citizen Michael Reynolds in Pocatello, Idaho, offers to assist al-Qaida in acts of terrorism by planning attacks and describing bomb making techniques * 2007: IED...

Words: 405 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Historical and Religious Significance of the Bombing of Civilians in World War Ii

...Religious Significance of the Bombing of Civilians in World War II By Patrick Taylor For as long as there has been war there have been soldiers, and as long as there have been soldiers there have been civilians. A civilian is defined as any person not in armed forces yet time and time again people have launched attacks against these neutral parties for both political and economic reasons. Although these attacks have taken many forms, one of the most severe and vicious ways this has been done is through aerial bombing. This tactic can be even more harmful than other forms of attack due to its very nature. While bombings kill as many civilians as other similar attacks, aerial bombing can destroy the buildings and infrastructure of a place as well, devastating the area for years, even after the bombing has stopped. Many areas have been affected by aerial bombing through history, but possibly none as much as London and the rest of Britain during the Blitzkrieg on Britain during World War II. Beginning on September seventh in 1940 and ending on the tenth of May in 1941, this blitzkrieg killed over 40,000 civilians and wounded more than three times that. Over half of these casualties were in London itself and at least one million of its homes were destroyed. These figures are impressive, however they cannot show exactly how much damage was actually done. When people’s homes were destroyed they had few places to go. Then during the next bombing they might not have any form of...

Words: 1399 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Modern Architecture

...Modern Architecture II Spring 2015 Twin Towers: The Rise, and the Rise Again of Great Architecture Once criticized for its different modernist style, the World Trade Center has become known most for the horrific assault of 9/11, but is deserves recognition for its fine engineering and architecture. In 1962, the Port Authority thought they should take a different route on choosing an architect for the building of the World Trade Center. Instead of choosing a big time architect, they would choose one with a more mainstream background. The twin towers were built in New York, New York, USA by architect, Minoru Yamasaki and Associates. The One World Trade Center was completed in 1972 at 1,368 feet high, and the Two World Trade Center was completed a year later in 1973 at 1,362 feet high, both with 110 stories. At the time of the completion of the two buildings, the Twin towers were known as the tallest buildings in the world. Yamasaki worked as a disciple of Mies van der Rohe favoring such minimalist lines as seen the Martin Luther King Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. and the IBM Building in Chicago. Yamasaki soon tired of the International Style, and moved on to something new: New Formalism. Yamasaki was one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century. He and fellow architect Edward Durell Stone are generally considered to be the two master practitioners of New Formalism. This was not a style that caught on and it was not a style that followed...

Words: 2853 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Terrorism

...Week 9 Terrorism 1 Terrorism Bruce Miele HIS/135 November 16, 2014 Carol Jordan Week 9 Terrorism 2 Terrorism Terrorism has been a problem throughout the world for centuries. Acts of violence meant to instill fear into people have been a popular and effective way for extremists to get their messages across to their target groups. The September 11, 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon were the first major attacks on American soil since Pearl Harbor in 1941. Until then, Americans had never considered the possibility of such an attack in our country. It affected millions of people and the way they lived their lives. Many who were already afraid to fly, would never consider flying now. A personal experience I had at work , two months after the incident occurred, is proof of the change in attitudes and fears of flying Americans had at the time. My company needed to have a service technician on site in Denver, CO for a presentation they were having of a new product. My supervisor brought me into a private conference with him and asked me if I would be willing to fly from Boston, MA, where our company was located, to Denver. This would have never been handled in this fashion, prior to the bombings. I agreed to step up and told him, “If it happens, it happens, I can't change my life because of what happened.” People still live in fear of another terrorist attack like 9/11. There was...

Words: 880 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Terrorism

...How has terrorism been redefined since 9/11? There is neither an academic nor an international legal consensus regarding the proper definition of the word "terrorism" however overtime some thinkers have tried to distinguish between ‘old’ and ‘new’ terrorism. This is the basis for the re-think over the term ‘terrorism’. Terrorism has changed significantly since the 1960’s. The rise of religious fundamentalism, the end of the Cold War, the new global banking network and the telecommunications revolution has all changed the motives and techniques of terrorism. Until the 1980’s, terrorism was not seen, as a significant threat to national security, but it was the large nation states such as Russia and china that were seen as the major players in international politics. During the 1990’s, there were signs of development within the terrorists actions and methodology due to the fact that not only were targets becoming more substantial and more noticeable, there techniques were becoming more and more radical. However, it was not until September 11th 2001 that the world finally realized the new threat that terrorists posed. The threat that is posed is not from nation states, but individuals within that state who feel their interests have been ignored. An example that this is true for is not only for Islamic fundamentalists but also for Timothy McVeigh, who was responsible for a truck bomb that killed 168 people in Oklahoma City in 1995. This was an act of terrorism in that he inflicted...

Words: 1080 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Terrorism

...Terrorism Paper Damon Walton His/145 Dec 3, 2012 Senitra Upton Terrorism Paper The word "terrorism" is politically and emotionally charged which compounds the difficulty of providing an accurate definition of terrorism. Some research studies by scholars have shown there to be over 100 different definitions of terrorism. A less politically and emotionally charged meaning of terrorism is a better defined term used for terror. The word "terror" comes from a Latin word meaning "to frighten.” My definition of terrorism is a violent act which is intended to create fear, to promote an ideological/political goal, and deliberately target civilians and non civilian targets. The age of modern terrorism might be said to have begun in1968 when the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked an El Al airliner en route from Tel Aviv to Rome. While hijackings of airliners had occurred before, this was the first time that the nationality of the carrier (Israeli) and its symbolic value was a specific operational aim. Also a first was the deliberate use of the passengers as hostages for demands made publicly against the Israeli government. The combination of these unique events, added to the international scope of the operation, and gained significant media attention. The founder of PFLP, Dr. George Habash observed that the level of coverage was tremendously greater than battles with Israeli soldiers in their previous area of operations. "At least the world is...

Words: 1971 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Domestic Terrorism Vs. International Terrorism

...After 9/11, the government increased its efforts by enacting the USA Patriot Act to expand its surveillance capabilities to form counterterrorism efforts to derail al Qaeda’s reign of terror. See Strom, at 356. In fact, the terrorist attacks of the Twin Towers changed society forever and brought forth the reality of international threats who demonstrated the intent and capability to attack the United States and its allies. Nevertheless, international terrorism includes U.S. citizen or foreign nationals who are targeting innocent people to further a violent agenda. An example of international terrorism is when Mohammed Junaid Barar was arrested in New York for traveling to Pakistani to train militants, conspiring, and for providing funding and materials to al-Qaida in a plot to fight against the United States military and to blow up a train station and other businesses in London. Department of Justice, The criminal justice system as a counterterrorism...

Words: 413 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Terrorism

...Political Science 495 Terrorism December 14th, 2009 The Changing Look of Terrorism The purpose of this paper is to study and look at how terrorism has changed from pre 9/11, to post 9/11, to the current and future times. The United States is currently fighting the war on terror. But who is the enemy to the war? Can terrorism actually be considered an enemy? The answers to these questions are difficult to answer and defend, depending on the circumstances. But the key constant to the question is, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism. Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear/terror, are perpetrated for an ideological/political goal, and deliberately target or disregard the safety of civilian targets. The first section of this paper will deal with both views of the changing face of terrorism from pre 9/11, to post 9/11, and to the present day. The next section of this paper will discuss the variables of why terrorism has changed. In conclusion this paper will summarize the study of the changing face in terrorism. Throughout this paper there will be historical facts, evidence, theories, and analysis to support my argument how terrorism has changed over time. The language of terrorism that we, as Americans read it as, on September 11, 2001, two American airplanes flew into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon, while yet another suspiciously crashed in a deserted Pennsylvania field. Blasted...

Words: 3370 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Unshakeable Faith: the Flawed Command of Bomber Harris

...utilize Dr. Ross Pigeau and Carol McCann’s model to evaluate the dimensions relating to Harris’ Competency, Authority and Responsibility (CAR) and to assess the overall balance and effectiveness of Harris’ command. The CAR model was deemed most suitable to dissect pertinent aspects of this complex and controversial commander, allowing for the necessary depth of analysis into his abilities, responsibilities, beliefs, actions and reactions over a specific timeframe. This paper will illustrate that Harris, although highly skilled in many areas and having demonstrated impressive successes at the helm of Bomber Command, had a singular and seemingly intractable approach to war – to obliterate Germany’s war production capacity by area bombing its cities. This inflexible approach inhibited his ability to see the bigger picture with any measure of objectivity and was the Achilles Heel of his leadership, limiting his command capability and resulting in an abuse of his authority -- and ultimately, having a detrimental effect on the Allied offensive. His unshakeable faith became a measure of “obstinacy and dogmatism . . . [that] prevent Harris from being called a truly great...

Words: 6567 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

New Terrorism

...New Terrorism? Predicting the Future of Terrorism Introduction/ Purpose Terrorism is an often controversial subject. “One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.” This is a well known quote that is often used to allude to the complexity of terrorism. Terrorism, the word itself is a word that has possessed over a hundred definitions and a concept that has changed as the societies of the world have progressed. The use of the terms terrorism and terrorist are politically weighted, and are often used for a polarizing effect, where 'terrorism' becomes simply a relativist term for the violence committed by an enemy, from the point of view of the attacked. Because of the political nature of some struggles, 'terrorism' can become identified as simply any violence committed against established institutions. A terrorist is, strictly speaking, one who is personally involved in an act of terrorism. The term "terrorism" comes from the French 18th century word terrorisme (under their government's Reign of Terror), based on the Latin language verbs terrere (to tremble) and deterrere (to frighten from). The use of the term "terrorist" has had broader applications however, ranging in application from disgruntled citizens to common political dissidents. It is important to understand terrorism in our modern arena and under stand its effects on society. ‘Terrorism’, as a unified political and ideological motif did not arise spontaneously in response to particular instances...

Words: 3197 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

How Lucky You Are

...better country where bombing is not a part of the daily life. People who is seeking after the life we are taking for granted. Even though, the nations of the West turn down many refugees and asylum seekers each year. The story "How Lucky You Are" by Debi Alper (2010) includes a Iranian girl, Ishraqi, whose life have been taking away from her in Iran as her parents were arrested during an anti-government demonstration. After this sadly event, Ishraqi was able to leave Iran for a better life and she ended in England, fortunately. In England she was taking care of by an older woman called Alexsa, who originally came to England from Kosovo, as a refugee herself. The older woman, Alexsa, had a job in the refugee centre and it was here where Ishraqi meets Max. Max and Ishraqi seemed to fit very well with each other, but soon enough, their relationship will fall apart as Ishraqi is set to be deported back to Iran. The Iranian girl, Ishraqi, is a girl, who has experienced more than most of the youth in Western Europe. When it comes to corruption and a government which is so anti-humane that a bad living condition is just as normal as the sun shines. This type of government has Ishraqi experienced in her own life (page 10, line 4-5) as she came to England as an unaccompanied minor, which means that she was able to leave her country as a parentless child. Ishraqi seems to be a girl who is fighting with the new and un-known West Europe. She describes the city of London as being grey without...

Words: 1040 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Post 9/11

...and war seems to be an everyday thing for them. There are always bombs going off, people being killed it would seem, and the fight is for power and control over the oil commodities. Like for example the 2004 attack on the Western oil companies and housing compounds in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. In certain parts of the Middle East the military is split and divided into let’s say good and bad. The good military is small and under equipped. While the militia is strong and finds a way to get numerous guns and bombs and take over the smaller good military, resulting in heavier terrorism in those parts of the world. Terrorist Activities Many of these terrorist sites use a variety of similar activities. The most common is bombings, this is something that can harm or even kill a mass number of people at once and that is something they all...

Words: 1301 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Have Western Liberal Democracies Effectively Responded to Challenges to Their Power? in Your Answer, Refer to at Least One Internal and One External Challenge.

...Have Western liberal democracies effectively responded to challenges to their power? In your answer, refer to at least one internal and one external challenge. Introduction In 1989 political scientist Francis Fukuyama declared “the end of history.”[1] Despite his language, Fukuyama was not an apocalyptic religious fundamentalist awaiting the rapture, but rather, he saw with the collapse of the Soviet Union the ultimate and final triumph of liberal democracy. Fukuyama draws on Marxist and Hegelian interpretations of the narrative of history as one of progress, in this case with its apex at the liberal democracy best represented by the United States of America. The triumphalism of this context may seem naïve in a post-9/11 world, but it should be seen in its original context of the decades long cold war between the US (and its allies) and the Soviet Union. These two sides came to represent an ideological conflict rather than a purely physical one, between liberal capitalist democracy and authoritarian communism, between free enterprise and central planning. Liberal democracy emerged victorious economically, politically and, Fukuyama would argue, philosophically. However, Fukuyama would be hard pressed to defend his near-eschatological optimism today, and Marxist critic Terry Eagleton has said that “the End of History is at an end.”[2] Rather than the comparatively monolithic opposition it experienced in the 20th Century, today the political dominance of liberal democracy is...

Words: 2309 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Justifiable Terrorism in Total Wars

...Justifiable Terrorism in Total Wars Molly Thomson 201311503 Political Science 1000-03 March 18th, 2014 The word ‘terrorism’ instantly makes people shudder; the negative connotations and controversies surrounding terrorism in modern society are enough to spark a discussion of whether it is justifiable or not. In order to determine whether or not terrorism can be justified, a clear definition must be decided upon. Decades before the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, the definition of the word terrorism was hard to define. Political figures around the globe argued and disagreed on what they thought should have determined the act of terrorism. Now, there are multiple different definitions originating from distinct cultures and societies, suggesting that terrorism is in the eye of the victim. One definition of terrorism is “any violent or criminal act planned for a political or ideological purpose”; while another claims that terrorism is understood to be a direct attack on innocents. Since both of these definitions have important components to them, it can be assumed that both traits are essential to defining terrorism. For the purpose of this paper, the definition of terrorism will be understood as ‘a violent attack on innocents for the purpose of political change’. It can be hard for most people to understand the act of injuring and/or killing hundreds, or maybe even tens of thousands of people, as justifiable. However, if the innocents are...

Words: 1878 - Pages: 8